Help please! I can't figure out why I'm not losing weight

You should eat more! If you diary is correct!

Every time I've started to try to lose weight (after years of starting and restarting...and restarting) it takes a few weeks for it to register on the scale.

I agree with Bradthemedic, how long are you in this for? You have to be patient, because weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you will lose a pound, some weeks you won't. Also, check your sodium intake. If you're eating pre-processed food with a ton of sodium then most likely that is where your problem is. Are you drinking enough water to flush the crap out of your system? I mean, look, losing weight takes a work and you have to stick with it long enough to see what works for you. Good luck.

Make sure your portions are correct. Many times we think 9 oz is 6 oz... If you are not using food scales and such, those things can be difficult to assess. Best wishes on your journey.

You have to ask yourself: Are you in this for a week, or a lifetime? You won't hit your goal in a week. These things take time and the body can't just work like a computer (like MFP does). It adjusts, stores, loses water, holds water and does things we don't fully understand with science yet.

So - are you in this for the long haul or a quick 2 week experiment?

This is what I was thinking. You can only really estimate how much you can lose but it's never certain. 0.5lbs is good for a week! Some weeks you might lose more, some weeks less. Just keep at it. Make sure you eat a NET of 1200 on days you exercise.

There's amazing advice in this thread. If you read it and take it to heart and put it in practice, you WILL have success.

What everyone else has said. I was a bit disappointed when I only last 2lb in 3 weeks when I started, regardless of hitting my calorie goals, and exercising every day. Then on weeks 4 and 5, without changing anything I dropped 10lb and it's been a pretty steady 1.5lb/week drop since then. Change of lifestyle is hell on our bodies and it takes time to adjust. Stick with it, be honest with your calories, log everything and if you are hitting your numbers, you WILL lose weight.

Unfortunately, weight loss isn't always simple math. There are SO many factors such as hormones, water weight, etc. that can contribute to weight loss week by week. The important thing is that you DID lose weight - that means you're on the right track! One week is not nearly enough time to determine success. Some weeks I don't lose as much as I should based on the math, and some weeks I lose more than I should! This is a lifestyle change. Stick with it and you will see the results. You just gotta give it time! Now if in a few weeks you are still finding that you don't lose much, it may be time to examine your eating and exercise habits, etc. For now it's really just too early to tell.

0.5 is great for a week!

The biggest thing is to stick with whatever you try. You can't be ready to change a diet after 1 week unless you just want to Yo-Yo diet and never keep your goal. The other hard part is that our bodies don't necessarily lose weight just because of a calorie deficit. It really depends on the macros (carbs, fats, proteins). Bodies respond to different levels than others. I personally do well with low carb. I can take 100+g of fat and 200+g of protein and lose weight if my carbs are under 50-60g. Others can have carbs up in the 150-250g range, keep fat low, and lose weight.

The best thing you can do is try something and stick with it for a few weeks to a month. If that doesn't make you lose weight, then switch to another diet style.

Hey there,

It takes more than a week to start losing. Your body doesn't have a schedule. Also, having looked at your diary, it doesn't seem like you're eating enough, and I would definitely up the natural food content (not processed) and drink plenty of water (I drink up to 12 cups a day). It takes a lot of patience - not one of my strong suits so I'm one to talk lol! But it's true... I've been on here for 145 days, and while I've not lost a ton of weight (15.2 lbs), I've lost 15.25 inches, so I would not just rely on the scale but rely more on measurements.

Check out some of the groups on MFP, like: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

When you start something like this, you have to forgo the "quick fix" and do something that you'll be able to manage long-term - nothing worth having comes without hard work and dedication

Good luck :flowerforyou:

Make sure your portions are correct. Many times we think 9 oz is 6 oz... If you are not using food scales and such, those things can be difficult to assess. Best wishes on your journey.

This is true, I said the same thing at first, I started in April and was very serious about getting the weight off. After I started measuring everything, working out daily and making smarter food choices, within the first two weeks the weight started coming off at about 1.5 lbs a week some weeks 2 lbs. But that is a strict diet, and burning at least 500 per day. Without the extra burn, about 1 lb per week always. I keep my diary open for every one to see, I try not to cheat because I know my old habbits and want to give myself a fair chance this time around. I refuse to weigh in until June 17, 2012 because that is my first goal date of 20 lbs loss. I am sure I will meet the goal+a pound or 2 more. I could not do this if I wasn't consistant with all of it, you can too.
Keep up the good work and add me as a friend if you need more support. My final goal is to reach 80 total by Oct. 21, 2012 It's all about the numbers for me and motivation.

I would recommend not trusting MFP to give you proper numbers. The calories they offer are too low, and the exercise calories are calculated too high.
I highly recommend doing some research into BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). You will not find success or lasting results if you aren't giving your body the fuel it needs to function on a basic level.
BMR Calculator: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html
TDEE Calculator: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

This gives you the MINIMUM caloric intake (BMR), and MAXIMUM caloric intake (TDEE) for your body to function and still lose weight. of course these are estimates, so you can tweak them to get the best results for you.

You also should find a "style" of eating that suits your needs. I do low carb/pescetarian. After years of being a carbaholic the freedom from food I feel is a revelation. Clean eating is the bare minimum to a healthier lifestyle. Find food products that have as close to one ingredient as possible (broccoli! Chicken!! Cream & bacterial cultures (i.e. yogurt!) etc!)

And allow yourself the odd treat. Depriving yourself will just ensure that when you binge, you binge hard.

Also, go easy on yourself!!! Figuring out all this stuff is HARD. There's a huge learning curve if you want to do it properly. I lost 30 lbs doing weight watchers 6 years ago, but I didn't learn HOW to eat properly, so I gained it back when I stopped counting. This time around with the help of these forums, some REALLY knowledgeable people on here, and sheer determination, I'm learning how to fuel my body, not just shed pounds.

Just for your info, so you know I'm not talking out of my *kitten*, I'm 5'4", SW (January 2012) was 234.5, CW is 193.5.

Good luck, and feel free to add me as a friend if you like

you are doing great. i didnt see any loss my first 2 weeks, then week 3 my body played catch up. weight loss is not the same week in and week out. i will go a week or two with no loss, and then the following week my body will lose like crazy. just keep on keeping on.

also take measurements and take photos to track your progress.

if you are exercising keep a log of your endurance and increased strength.

this needs to be about getting healthy and strong not just skinny

Don't take the numbers so literally. They're just averages. If you average X deficit a day you'll average Y weight loss, but that's over the long term, like months, not one week.

So keep at it and don't consider the scale your report card. Consider your inputs (your daily calorie intake/output goals) to be the score card. Did you do what you set out to all week? If yes, then YOU WIN! The scale will follow eventually. It takes time.

^^ This, very well said!!

Patience!!!!!!! You can not gauge your progress on one weeks worth of work!!!